Red will Dye these Snows of Silver
by YumeTakato
Summary: Although he has the appearance of a young boy, his mind and intellect are that of an adult. Seeking only one truth, Detective Edogawa Conan, embarks on his toughest challenge yet, with far more than he had initially bargained for...
1. Press Start to Begin

A/n: I'll let you know straight off the bat that you should be surprised as hell that I'm writing this story.

Or should I say, RE-WRITING 3 _**FREAKING**_, _**INCREDIBLY DETAILED PAGES**_ of it!!!! DX There are NO WORDS to express my frustration right now without cussing.

I'm writing this for YOU, the READER, because I feel you deserve something far more FULLFILLING than what I delivered in _**Sun and the Moon**_, and something to continue _**Vanilla Latte**_.

Please, REVIEW at the end, 'cause I'm so freaking… nsdfnjdsjndhs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The title is inspired by the band, **The Almost **and some of their songs, alongside the fact that when I loose stories, I almost never try and immediately re-write them, so the title applies.

This story was Almost Not Re-Written for your Reading PLEASURE!

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The sound of shoes slapping against waterlogged pavement echoed loudly against the night in the abandoned alley. His dark brown hair was sticking to his skin uncomfortably as well as his black school uniform. What had started at a run through an unbidden downpour turned into the annoying feel of water, sweat, and cloth rubbing against his skin in the cool night of spring. His breathing was shallow as he'd been running for quite some time now, nearly non-stop for he knew if his pursuers caught up to him, he would be in serious trouble. So, he kept running, listening for instructions from on of the few who could help him at this hour of night, for he was one of the night himself.

'_Turn right, Tantei-kun.'_

He threw his body in said direction, his shoes worn with the use he was exerting upon them. The dirt and the muck long-since ruining them in his flight. His bow-tie was now useless as it had been broken by his being thrown into a wall, his watch without the precious tranquilizer needles; used for buying him time, time that seemed too little to gain ground away from his pursuers. His body ached from the excursion he was putting himself through, yet he kept running, knowing it was all he could do. The police could wait, for he had far too much to do still to allow himself to die at the hands of those currently chasing him down.

'_Turn left!'_

The command was sudden, and once more he threw himself in the direction instructed, and quickly found himself slipping and rolling down a slope. He landed roughly, causing him a moment of panic.

'_Get up, quickly! Throw yourself into the water and swim under the shadow of the bridge. It's not that far, and I'll be there to help you out!'_

He wheezed, "_That's _way_ easier said than done."_

He threw himself into the water, its temperature shocking him for a moment, yet alerting him to the need to keep moving, keep breathing. It would be over soon, he was going to be _safe_ and that's all that mattered to him at the moment.

When he finally reached the shadow he scrambled to the sidewalk and heard two sets of footsteps rush over, '_Quickly now!'_

He was pulled abruptly by two sets of hands, and than roughly placed on the back of another. It was after a moment of disorientation he realized that the other person was a female, both by shape and scent, "_What's going o-"_

'_There's no time kid, just relax and go to sleep. You'll need it.'_

With those words said, Kudo Shinichi, currently known as Edogawa Conan passed out.

For those left in the world of the waking, one Nakamori Aoko walked briskly in a daze, slightly confused behind her childhood friend Kuroba Kaito.

His pace was quick and unbidden as his navy blue button-up shirt and dark brown hair shifted in the spring breeze. "Kaito, what's going o-"

"Not out here."

Aoko blinked, startled by her friend's tone of voice, yet kept her thoughts silent as she followed, matching his pace. Her long-sleeved sweater was soaked through, along with some of the back of her jeans, making their pace uncomfortable and her body cold. Yet, she knew she couldn't complain, for the 12 year-old on her back had to be freezing despite his seemingly peaceful sleep. She swallowed heavily and sighed shakily, becoming upset with the situation she was finding herself in. Despite her frustrations, Aoko trusted Kaito, and knew that she needed to follow him without question.

Whatever was going on between him and this boy had been going on for some time, and from what she could tell by her friend's behavior, was that something had gone _wrong_.

Kaito slowed his pace down to a stop in front of a seemingly abandoned warehouse's doorway. After a moment of thought Kaito jimmied the lock with an expertise of an escape-artist magician and moved to the side to allow her passage before following quickly behind her and closing the surprisingly silent doors.

With lock once more in place, Kaito took the lead once more and soon Aoko found herself going underground. She was becoming increasingly confused, but kept her peace. She soon began to notice the boy's breathing change slightly to that of one who was becoming sick with cold. "Kaito…"

He shifted his head slightly in her direction, "Yeah..?"

Aoko breathed a moment, "I think he's getting sick already."

She heard Kaito mumble something before addressing her again, "Can you walk a little faster?"

Thinking his words over, and controlling her temper long enough to realize he was genuinely asking her she answered, "Nothing short of jogging."

"For how long do you think you could handle it?"

She pondered this a moment, "I don't know. For as long as you need?"

Kaito paused in his step, yet kept moving, "Than I need you to move just a little bit faster. We'll be at my house soon, but it might be a bit of a stretch."

Aoko nodded, "Ok."

Kaito than picked up his pace and soon Aoko was jogging just a few paces behind him. It was difficult, carrying her load without dropping him, but she managed it due to her determination. The tunnel they were currently running through still caused questions to surface, but she kept them silent.

It was the least, and yet the most Kaito had ever asked of her.

* * *

When his consciousness returned to him his senses immediately picked up as much information as possible without the necessity of sight.

He was warm, tucked under a soft old blanket that smelled of nutmeg and age in a room that had a soft yellow light to prevent most of the pain that comes when trying to open your eyes after sleeping. His body ached, but had been rested for a while now so the pain wasn't nearly as intense as before. He was also dry, except for his hair which was just slightly damp with the smell of a shampoo he knew Ran used. It was strange, but he felt cleaner than before, which while it was nice, it also disturbed him to know someone had undressed him, bathed him, and than clothed him without his notice. Once these things had been noted he tuned in to the voices speaking near him.

'_-to, calm down. You're making me nervous with all of your fidgeting.'_

'_You'd be nervous too if you knew who he was.'_

'…_That doesn't make any sense!'_

"_Well, it's nice to see you're finally away, Tantei-kun."_

Shinichi opened his eyes abruptly, blinking before meeting the gaze of a young man who could probably pass as an almost-perfect copy of himself at his true age. He immediately scrutinized the man in front of him, his gaze sharp and awake, "Why do you look like that, and why am I dry?"

His look-alike tilted his head slightly while raising an eyebrow, looking at him slightly amused, "_Why, what do you mean by that? I had Jii-chan clean you up. You could be at least a _little_ grateful."_

Shinichi growled, "You know _exactly_ what I mean _K-!_"

The other raised his hand, tsking at him, "_Ah, ah, ah! Tantei-kun. I have a guest here that I'd appreciate you not blowing my already fully blown cover to."_

Shinichi blinked as he decided to partially sit up and lean on his left arm as he finally noticed the other person in the room. It was the female from before, in different clothing than he'd remembered briefly taking note of, "Uh…"

The woman who a second ago seemed confused, angry, and about ready scream quickly became flushed and bashful. Shinichi blinked and looked back that _him_, "Please, do _not_ tell me your voice is _naturally_ like that, and that you're not in disguise."

While the girl was more confused, but also interested, her friend just smiled in that _insanely annoying_ manner that drove the Kaitou KID Task Force into a frothing mess of frustration and anger only served to prove his slowly blossoming assumptions into a bone chilling confirmation. "Oh _hell_ no."

The other laughed for a few moments before calming himself long enough to speak, "_I'm sorry Tantei-kun, but seriously. _We do actually have the same _natural_ voice. Unlike you though, _I_ can sing like a bird and impersonate people without any technological help, while _you_ my dear friend, can_not_."

Shinichi blushed deeply, "Does _everyone_ have to knock me for being tone deaf!?!"

_He_ looked at him for a moment, pausing. "Yup."

Shinichi sighed heavily and flopped back onto the bed he was currently occupying. "So, you're really not in disguise."

"Nope, just as much as you aren'- Well anyway. You feel like getting up? 'Cause you and I have some talking to do, and some explaining to do. Though, I'll probably be beaten by the end of all this…"

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow, looking between the other two in the room, "Beaten?"

Aoko smirked and posed, raising a fist, "I have a _mean_ usage for mops. They're _way_ better than the conventional weapon."

Shinichi couldn't help but inch slightly away from the now-dubbed madwoman, the blood draining from his face a bit, '_She's totally nuts…_'


	2. In that time of Memory, Alpha

Either Detective Conan has gone down massively in fandom, or people just suck and can't review to save their lives.

I'm going with both.

May I be able to write a good enough story, so I can write for Danny Phantom and Naruto without anything holding me back. I'd like at least one decent and properly finished fic here… -bangs head-

Are my chapter titles supposed to make sense? Heck no. I think I'll go with a Joy Electric- Otherly Opus cd as a title inspiration.

Disclaimer: Once again, I write to support the fandom, not to own the series.

* * *

**__**

**_Chapter 2: Memory of Alpha_**

****

**_'We can't talk anymore.'_**

Her eyes snapped open as she jerked awake, the remnants of her dream causing her to breath heavily to stop the torrent of emotion that continuously berated her.

Mouri Ran, at age 23, still could not let go of her first love.

Her love began in the rain, and it was shattered in the rain. Everything about the situation had been **_wrong_**, yet, what could she do to refute the words spoken?

She continuously replayed the situation in her mind when the dream re-occurred, picking at it for clues and new revelations.

Each time she came up mostly short except for one thing. Conan would become increasingly clearer in her mind, and his reaction more and more distressing.

She began her morning routine and once again began replaying the events that took place on that cold, rainy October night 5 years ago when her world was dropped out from beneath her.

And now, she ponders, perhaps it was the same for Edogawa Conan, her ward for over a year at the time…

_Everything froze in time. Her breathing stopped as she waited with baited breath for him to refute what he'd just spoken. His hair obscured his face in deep shadow under the lamplight near the Mouri Detective Agency. She'd just barely made it back with Conan from a case, and now this…_

_"Shinichi, what do you mean we can't talk anymore?" a slight smile of denial started to appear on her face, "Is this some sort of joke? I mean-"_

_"**Ran.**_"

She stopped her mad rush of words, waiting.

"It's for your own good we don't talk anymore. I can't let our friendship, our feelings, get in the way of what I need to do."

Panic seized her, and she ran over to him, grabbing him by the arms and jolting him to look her in the eyes, "How can you say that!?! After all this time, after all we've been though!?! **How am I supposed to just leave that all behind, stupid!?!**"

The young man in front of her simply held his gaze to hers, his eyes speaking something with despair. "It can't be helped Ran. Now, Let. Go."

She shuddered, gripping him harder, "**NO!** Not unless I get an honest explanation! **Shinichi!**"

Just as suddenly as she had gripped him, he gripped her and pushed her away from him. Shocked at his rejection, she slipped suddenly, completely unable to even try to catch herself in her surprise. Yet, just as she thought she would feel pain she felt strong hand catch her despite their small size, and with a strength that couldn't possibly be there, he gently lowered her onto the ground and held her, seething at the one under the light.

Conan was absolutely livid.

His body was trembling with his internal rage, his breath ragged and hoarse in his sudden loss of emotional control, "How **dare** you treat **Ran **like** absolutely nothing.** I don't know **why** you bothered to come here **in person **to say that, but I swear if you **ever** come near either of us again, I'll-"

Ran swiftly gripped Conan's arm, stopping his tirade, "Conan stop!"

He whipped his gaze to her, raindrops flicking around him as their eyes made contact. Conan's eyes spoke of **so much** she couldn't even **begin** to fathom what was going on in the young boy's mind. But if there was anything she knew for sure, he was in **pain**, and he was **angry**. Angrier than she had even known him to become.

It only further made her think of how **like Shinichi** he was. Collected and calm most of the time, until that **one thing** set him off, and than **BAM!** His anger would top off.

When the two of them looked back to where 'Shinichi' had been standing, they found nothing. Not even a flittering shadow in the distance.

Ran made her way through the streets of Tokyo until her cell phone suddenly went off. Startled, she continued her pace towards school, "Hello?"

A groggy female's voice spoke hoarsely, "_Ran?_"

"Aoko-chan!" She heard a sniffle from her new friend, "What's wrong?"

Aoko sniffled a bit more before replying, _"A lot, and yet nothing at all… Can you come to my friend Kaito's?"_

Ran quirked an eyebrow, "Kaito's?"

"_Yeah… Where are you now?"_

After exchanging information Ran quickly made a call to a few classmates before hoofing it to where her friend was.

* * *

Ran was standing in front of 'Kaito's house' after walking for an exhausting 20 minutes around an unknown part (to her) of Tokyo. She rang the doorbell, adjusting her dark red sweater and dusting off her jeans. The door opened after a short moment revealing a woman around the age of Ran's mother who held a bright and yet weathered look about her. The woman's azure eyes held onto her own blue one's as if studying her for a moment before she smiled warmly, "Come right in, dear. You're Aoko's friend, Mouri Ran, yes?"

She nodded, her chocolate colored hair bobbing in time with the movement.

The woman closed the door behind her and started leading her through the house, "I'm Kuroba Akiko, Kaito's mother. If you need anything, just ask, alright?"

Ran nodded mutely, rather surprised at how spacious and yet compact the inside of the home was. After a moment's time she entered the living room and found herself the center of the attention of three individuals.

Aoko was the first person she made eye contact with as she froze in her spot. In the meantime, Kaito's mother swiftly left the group of college students to themselves. The second individual Ran made contact with was the one who she assumed was 'Kaito,' a young man who looked almost completely identical to Shinichi outside of a few glaring differences that only she and Aoko (if she were to ever meet Shinichi in person) would ever notice, and finally…

For a moment, she felt like electricity had gone through her as their equally surprised gazes met.

The young bespectacled boy she once knew during her high school days was now an even _more_ mature 12 year old, his name leaving her lips breathlessly without her even realizing, "_Conan-kun_…"

He just stared in return, his mouth slightly agape for a moment before Kaito nudged him back into reality, "Oh! Ran-neechan… What a coincidence…" All Shinichi could do was quickly give a glancing glare at Kaito for having not warned him about Aoko's friend being _Ran_ of all people, and all Kaito could do was shrug offhandedly, mouthing the words, _'Well, how was I supposed to know?'_

Conan's momentary distraction had been enough for Ran to snap out of her daze and go over to the boy she once took care of, and hugged him close to herself, crying tears of relief at finally being able to see him again.

Shinichi was once again shocked, now by Ran's actions and he suddenly couldn't help but hug her back just as ferociously as she was hugging him.

For Kaito, it was like seeing two star-crossed lovers reunited again, while Aoko was just confused by the display. After waiting for a few moments, Aoko spoke up, "You know him Ran?"

Ran let go of Conan and wiped her tears away as she replied, "Yeah, I watched over him until I left for college and moved out…" _On his insistence…_

Aoko's eyes widened, "I didn't even realize… Now I remember." Aoko glared at Kaito, "I remember seeing him at a _couple_ of KID's heists a few years back."

Kaito grinned sheepishly while Conan shook his head in slightly dismay, "Can we get on with this?"

The three young adults focused on the 'pre-teen' sitting in front of them. Ran shifted into a new spot at the small tea table the other three were sitting around. "Good. Now, I've waited _half_ a decade for an explanation from you _Kaitou_, and since my _father_ was the one who hired you to make my life hell, I suggest you start talking. **_Now._**"

Kaito brushed a bead of sweat that trickled down the side of his face with the back of his hand. If there was anything a thief hated, it was getting interrogated. Yet, no one caused the new-age Lupin as much enjoyment _or_ anxiousness as the shrunken new-age Sherlock Holmes.

"Personally, I myself don't know _what_ I should honestly tell you. I was actually more horrified by both of your parents ganging up on me…"

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow, "What do you- You mean to tell me they screwed with your head _before_ they hired you?"

Kaito sighed dramatically, leaning back on his arms languidly, "I guess I'll tell you what happened to cause everything to go crashing at our feet. You're not the _only_ one who was devastated, _Tantei-san._"

Conan snarled at the fellow male while Kaito just ignored him. "Well, Ran-neechan, it's time for everything to be explained… You see, everything started a week before 'Shinichi' appeared before you and Conan-kun here…"

He had just completed his most difficult heist yet. It was cold, it was rainy, he'd barely had any sleep the night before due to a massive research project due, and he'd managed to escape getting shot at by a random sniper that was later located and found to have committed suicide before authorities could reach them. It was a trend of The Organization, a sad one that bothered the Kaitou's conscious sometimes late at night.

Though currently, all Kuroba Kaito, currently known as the infamous international phantom thief Kaitou KID, wanted to do was **sleep**. His bed called out to him, yet, he had to pause on his journey home and wait. Wait for the moon to come out from the cloud covering just one more time to kiss the jewel in his hand and learn whether or not he had found **her**. The Pandora Gem. Lifting the gem up to the sky he waited, and just as the moon came out of its hiding place and shone its light, a shot rang out, the bullet striking at his feet and startling him. He quickly turned around and pulled out his card gun, aiming and putting the gem away into his sleeve for safe-keeping until he returned it.

Kaito shifted and looked around, the charm on his monocle shifting in the wind, glistening softly when moonbeams touched it. His white cape billowed behind him in the turbulent winds of the upcoming storm. His white suit, despite the bad weather, had managed to stay perfectly clean along with his white top hat and shoes.

Sweat trickled down his temple as he waited, his eyes shifting through the shadows as he made his way towards the edge of the building, knowing that if he **had** to flee, he could use his hang-glider, despite its risk, the winds would make his get-away **much** faster than usual.

After a few more moments of nerve wracking silence, footsteps could be heard against the gravel and cement of the rooftop, a feint deep chuckle carried in the wind, "So this is the infamous Kaitou Kid? Seems a little too… **young** to be the same guy… Unless he found **Pandora**… Which I doubt greatly."

"I agree Aniki."

Kaito's eyes widened as two men wearing black came out from the covering of the shadows. His heart pounded in his throat as he took note of both of them having drawn guns on them. He took a moment to take in their appearance. The first one was a tall, lean man with cold unforgiving green eyes, and long blonde hair. He held a cigarette in his mouth, as his hat covered most of his appearance. The second man simply looked like an Al Capone rip-off, both wearing black clothing.

Kaito swallowed and smiled, "You guys are really unoriginal… Didn't you hear? White is the new blac-" Another shot from a gun rang out, hitting near his feet. Kaito jumped a bit, but tried to hold onto his Poker Face as they came closer, until they were 10 feet apart.

The blonde one, known as Gin, smiled wickedly, "We've let you free for long enough, Kaitou KID. It's time for you to accept your fate for having betrayed the Organization, and not finishing what we hired you out for…"

Kaito's mind was spinning, things were so much like what happened between him and Snake, he was frozen, completely unable to move as the blonde's finger pulled back the trigger with a loud bang and-

**Bakoon**!

Confetti and a sign popped out of 'Gin's' barrel as the words 'GOTCHA!!!' swept through Kaito's mind.

Kaito had just fallen for the **stupidest** and most **horrific** trap set up by an ex-actress and mystery novelist **ever**.

"…So that's how they got you."

Kaito glowered at Conan, "Hey, I may not have met _them_ personally, but your parents…"

Shinichi waved a hand, "Keh. My parents are absolutely insane, and now you know what I've dealt with my whole life. But I have to ask, what was it they threatened you with to actually get you to _do_ that to us, and trust I would have you _arrested_ within the next 24 hours?"

Kaito smiled, sweating slightly as he rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, well… I'd… really rather not get into that…"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes, "Whatever…"

Ran looked between the two boys before something clicked, her eyes widening. While she had noticed how _like_ Shinichi Conan was, she had always trusted he'd tell her. Yet, after she'd gone to college, she'd completely forgotten about Edogawa Conan, and how he'd always seem so unusually intelligent, far more than a prodigy.

And now she could finally have her answer, her confirmation without Conan even having to say it, because the infamous Kaitou KID had stolen it from him and placed it right in her lap.

Edogawa Conan was truly Kudo Shinichi, and it was all Ran had ever begun to care about knowing.

Shinichi was alive. He was well, and he was still very much so in her life.

* * *

Next Chapter: Ran talks with Aoko about what happened the night before, and that's all I know for now….

Please Review!!!!


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